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Topic: Catching/Removing Wild Hive (Read 3494 times)

I'm new to the forum and would appreciate any comments on my current project.

After having trees cut on our farm (Upstate SC) about 2 years ago, a hive of bees move into a hole in the wall of our farm house. Last fall I bought a couple of English Garden hives. I’m trying to lure the bees from wall to domesticate (re-domesticate them). In my youth, my father kept bees for a time. Some hives died, others may have swarmed as the hives fell into disrepair.

Plan A (In effect - I can provide photo): I have place a gum above the entrance to the wall (3 APR). The existing hive entrance is between the top of the stand and the brace. My hope is that the hive will swarm in the spring and move into the gum. I have placed feed in the gum and scented the entrance and interior with peppermint. If the hive moves I would wait approximately 21 day to allow remaining brood to hatch and the existing hive to be robbed. At some point in the spring, should I place a funnel on the hive entrance to block the queens return from swarm?

Plan B: If the hive does not voluntarily move into the gum. I plan to purchase a hive. With that hive established, I plan to put a funnel over the wall entrance blocking the workers from returning. Scenting with peppermint, I hope to have the old hive merge with the new. Is this possible without first establishing a hive? Will the blocked workers use the gum to store nectar and rest and allow me to queen the gum after a week or so?

Plan C: A new queen emerges, and takes residence in the gum. The hive divides. After 21 days. I move the gum. With active bees still in the wall, I implement plan B with a backup hive.

Other questions:As the hive establishes, how many supers of brood should I try to maintain?When producing honey, should I put a queen excluder under my upper suppers? Will bees store nectar in a area that the queen can access?

Moderators, please move this topic to general beekeeping so he/she can get better coverage.

Poster, Please put your location in your profile so we can give you better answers, as most questions differ with the climate.

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Forum input seems to recommend pursuing a cut-out.I may consider this option in early June.

Any comments on the odds of capturing the queen?When I open up the wall and apply smoke, will the worker/nurse bees congregate near the queen alerting me to here position?I have 4 small frames (BrushyMountainBeeFarm English Hive) to collect brood and cone. Can this bee sufficient?If I loose the queen, is there still any chance to catch the hive?

The sooner you can do it, the better chance they will have to build up for the winter. You should have at least all the frames for the hive you are going to use, to put brood comb in. In May and June, there could be 8 or 10 frames of brood comb in the wall. The less smoke you can use, and still calm them, the better.

Remove the outside comb first, leaving the brood comb in the middle until last. Then remove the brood comb other than 2 pieces a foot long. You have a 10 times better chance of getting her that way.

DO NOT close off the outer entrance. You want the foragers to fly outside. Once you set the hive and brood outside, they will orient to it. It keeps fewer bees in the house that way.

If you don't get her, but do have eggs in the brood comb, they will raise a new queen.

If you want to talk it over before beginning, PM me and I'll give you my phone number.

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"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

jp and iddee are the cutout masters. i will only add that leaving your new hives out is a good idea. that hive may swarm before you get it cut out. while this will not solve your problem, it will give you another hive if they settle in your equipment.

also agree on doing it as soon as you can. the longer you wait, the more bees, brood, and honey, you'll have to deal with. smaller is better especially on your first cutout :-)

take time to read through the removal section. there are many good posts and a list of equipment. anyone there will also be happy to answer your questions.

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